The University of Chicago Clinical Nutrition Research Unit is designed to facilitate and encourage clinical investigation on nutritional aspects of human disease. The center will extend the efforts of the Committee on Human Nutrition and Nutritional Biology to foster interdisciplinary efforts in research, patient care, education and training. Strong foci of funded research relating to nutrition exist currently at the University in NIH supported centers for the study of Diabetes, Ischemic Heart Disease, Atherosclerosis, Urolithiasis, and Cancer and in programs in Lipoprotein research, Stable Isotopes, and vitamin metabolism. The CNRU will build upon this research base and expertise along with the resources of the Nutrition Support Service, and the Biological Sciences computation Facility to provide study design, nutritional assessment, intervention, laboratory assay, and support services to foster clinical investigation. A major goal will be the application of current laboratoy and animal research progress at this university to human nutrition investigation. An innovative program in trace-metal nutrition is proposed. CNRU facilities will be available to investigators to support a broad spectrum of nutrition research relating to such problems as pregnancy, growth retardation, diabetes, digestive and cardiovascular diseases and cancer.